A new approach to the synthesis of lactams of muramic,isomuramic and normuramic acids via intramolecular O-alkylation: Stereochemical features of the intramolecular nucleophilic substitution

The title compounds were synthesized from the selectively protected N-acylated d-glucosamine derivatives, containing α-halo carboxylic acid moieties, via intramolecular 3-O-alkylation. It was found that if the starting compound contains asymmetric electrophilic center, isomuramic acid derivatives were mainly formed, regardless of the configuration of the electrophilic carbon atom. An explanation for the observed stereochemical results was proposed on the basis of the analysis of steric interactions in the molecules of the starting compounds, as well as using the concept of anchimeric assistance. It was shown that N-acetylation of the obtained lactam derivatives and subsequent methanolysis under mild conditions led to the selective cleavage of δ-lactam ring resulting in the formation of the corresponding ester derivatives of N-acetylmuramic acid or its analogues in high yields.